A WEDDING and clay pigeon shooting venue has been given permission to create a new car park on nearby fields. 

Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee was asked to decide the application for the overflow car park to serve the Grade II-listed Cefn Tilla Court at Llandenny, near Usk, as more than five objections had been received by the planning department. 

It will provide space for 20 cars as well as for three minibuses which would run as a shuttle service between the current agricultural fields and the venue. 

Planning officer Andrew Jones said the use of seven metre minibuses, rather than coaches, is one of a number of amendments since the application was originally submitted in October last year. An enhanced landscaping scheme is also among the changes with two trees, that have protection orders, to be integrated into the scheme with no trees or hedgerows lost. 

A large agricultural barn which is in the field, which is in the open countryside south of Llandenny, will also be retained. 

Mr Jones said no external lighting is proposed for the car park but a condition would remove the “permitted development” right for lighting meaning any future proposal could be controlled by the council. 

Wyesham independent councillor Emma Bryn asked if a permeable grass surface could be used rather than gravel for the car park, which was supported by a number of councillors. Mr Jones said that could be considered as part of the biodiversity enhancement scheme. 

Cantref Labour councillor Sara Burch asked if there should be signage to warn drivers on Cefn Tilla Road, which is a single track with no lighting, of pedestrians.

She said: “I wonder whether we need some signage or whether there should be a safe walking route? Minibuses may not be available at all times people want to leave.” 

Mr Jones said he wasn’t sure if that would be “appropriate” and the authority could only require applicant Robert Evans to make adaptations on land in his control or ownership, which the road isn’t. He added the highways department isn’t objecting with its concerns addressed by a transport statement that covered potential pedestrian access. 

Llangybi Fawr Conservative Fay Bromfield said the committee should accept the recommendation for approval and said: “We need to support our local businesses in the current climate.”